Hajduk’s Perfect Conference League Start Ends With 1-0 Loss to Lincoln

Hajduk suffered their first European defeat of the season on Thursday night, beaten 1-0 by Gibraltar champions Lincoln Red Imps in the third round of the Conference League league phase. The only goal came in the 89th minute, when a header struck the post and rebounded into the net off Dennis Hadžikadunić.

It was a jarring result after Hajduk’s perfect start, with wins over Ajax and Thun. Lincoln, who had yet to take a point in the competition, won without registering a single shot on target.

Lineups

Lincoln Red Imps: Hankins; Nano, Rutjens, Cardozo, Eersteling; García, Mandi, Lopes, Torrilla, Toledano; Gómez

Hajduk: Silić; Hrgović, Hadžikadunić, Van Hoorenbeeck, Acapandié; Fayad, Del Moral; Šotiček, Dalisson, Bamba; Šego

Hajduk were without Adrion Pajaziti, Ivica Ivušić, Leander Dendoncker and Roko Brajković, while Lincoln had a full squad.

Match report

Hajduk quickly took control with a high press that forced plenty of errors from the hosts. The fast pitch caught Hajduk out at times. In the 10th minute, Bamba tried to send Šotiček through, but the pass ran away from the winger. Three minutes later, Bamba won the ball and charged towards goal, only for his attempted pass across to Šotiček to be blocked.

Dalisson went close in the 17th minute with a shot from around 20 meters that flew just past the bar. Lincoln’s first chance forward came in the 22nd minute, when Silić comfortably gathered Nano’s cross. Šego then tried one of his trademark free kicks from a tight angle in the 27th minute, but sent it over.

By the half-hour mark, the game was being played almost entirely in Lincoln’s half, and Rutjens was booked in the 30th minute. The hosts’ first real counter-attack came a minute later, but Acapandié reacted well to clear in his own box.

Hajduk’s best move of the half came in the 40th minute. Šego headed down a long ball, and Dalisson met it with a good volley, but again it went over. Just before the break, a run from Bamba through the Lincoln defense ended with a Fayad shot that was blocked. Hajduk dominated the half but went in at 0-0 without a single shot on target.

Neither side made changes at the break. Kike Gómez was booked in the 49th minute for another heavy challenge, and two minutes later, Lincoln right-back Eersteling landed awkwardly on his shoulder and needed treatment. He eventually made way for Álvarez.

Lincoln began to find openings. In the 53rd minute, Toledano was well placed around ten meters out, but Fayad nicked the ball off him before he could shoot. Šotiček was booked for diving in the 58th minute, and Bamba followed five minutes later for a foul on Gómez. In the 64th minute, Hajduk survived two dangerous moments. First, a Lincoln player missed the target from close range, then Silić came off his line in time to cut out a dangerous pass.

García made a double change in the 68th minute, bringing on Martin for Šego and Marešić for Van Hoorenbeeck. Dalisson tried his luck from distance again in the 72nd minute without hitting the target, and three minutes later, Hajduk wasted their clearest chance yet. Šotiček was left alone ten meters out after a rebound, with time to pick his spot, but failed to find the target.

Livaja replaced Dalisson in the 76th minute, and Hadžikadunić sent an overhead kick high over the crossbar two minutes later. In the 80th minute, Torrilla was booked for stopping Šotiček on a three-on-two counter, and Marešić put the resulting free kick over.

Hajduk’s only shot on target came in the 85th minute. Livaja chested down a ball from a corner and struck it at goal. García then sent on Huram and Šutalo for Šotiček and Bamba.

Then came the blow. In the 89th minute, Nano swung in a free kick, and Christian Rutjens rose highest in the Hajduk box. His header came back off the post, struck Hadžikadunić and went in. Six minutes of stoppage time were added, and Hajduk threw everything forward, but there was no way back.

It was Lincoln’s first win of the Conference League campaign, played in front of 1,309 spectators. Hajduk stay on six points, and in both previous seasons under the new format, seven points have been enough to finish in the top 24. They host Sint-Truiden on November 26 and Nordsjælland on December 10, before closing the league phase away to Midtjylland on December 17.